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The fourth round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian representatives resumed on Monday but ended without any breakthrough as Russia continued its fierce bombardment.
Both sides had suggested at the weekend some results could be in sight after earlier rounds primarily focused on ceasefires to get aid to towns and cities under siege by Russian forces and evacuate civilians; those truces have frequently failed.
“Peace, an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of all Russians troops – and only after this can we talk about regional relations and about political differences,” Ukrainian official Mykhailo Podolyak said in a video statement posted to Twitter.
He said in an update on Twitter that a “technical pause” has been taken in the Ukraine-Russia virtual talks until Tuesday. “For additional work in the working subgroups and clarification of individual definitions.
Negotiations continue,” he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had described them as “difficult talks.”
Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion on Feb 24 that has so far killed at least 636 civilians in Ukraine until March 13, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) said.
The actual toll is likely much higher, it said. The office of Ukraine’s general prosecutor said 90 children had been killed and more than 100 others wounded since Russia invaded the country.
“The highest number of victims are in the Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kherson, Mykolayiv and Zhytomyr regions,” it said in a statement.
As of Monday, more than 2.8 million people have fled Ukraine for neighboring countries, including 127,000 third-country nationals, the International Organization for Migration said.
More than 2,500 residents of the Black Sea port city of Mariupol have been killed since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said in a televised interview.
US warns China
China will face consequences if it helps Russia evade sanctions in its invasion of Ukraine, the US has said.
Unnamed US officials reportedly told multiple news outlets that Russia had asked China to provide military assistance after it began the invasion.
The Chinese foreign ministry accused the US of spreading disinformation. Russia denied asking Beijing for military help.
The exchanges came before top US and Chinese officials met in Rome.
US media outlets, citing Washington officials, say that Russia has in recent days asked China specifically for military equipment, including drones.
160 cars exit Mariupol via evacuation corridor
More than 160 civilian cars have been able to drive out of the besieged Mariupol along a humanitarian evacuation route, the city authorities said.
“As of 13:00pm (1100 GMT), more than 160 private cars have managed to leave Mariupol on the road to Berdyansk,” the city council said on Telegram.
The International Committee of the Red Cross had warned on Sunday that residents faced “a worst-case scenario” unless the warring parties reached an agreement to ensure their immediate safety and access to humanitarian aid, reports Al-Jazeera.
20 killed in Donetsk: Russia
Russia said 20 civilians were killed and 28 wounded by an Ukrainian missile in the eastern city of Donetsk controlled by pro-Russian separatists. Ukraine denied the report and Reuters was unable to independently verify it.
Ukraine has denied the accusation that it launched the attack.
Donetsk, in the east of Ukraine, is one of the rebel-held separatist areas where fighting against Ukrainian forces has been taking place since 2014. One of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demands to stop the war is the recognition of the independence of the eastern region.
‘Russia not threating to seize Western assets’
The Russian embassy in the US has trashed a report that Western companies operating in Russia who are critical of the government received threats from prosecutors.
“The Wall Street Journal published an article accusing Russian prosecutors of intimidating representatives of the American business community and threatening to nationalize their assets in Russia,” the embassy said in a Facebook post Sunday.
“Once again, we urge local media to abandon the vicious practice of spreading fake news.”
The Wall Street Journal had reported that the Russian prosecutor’s office issued warnings to seize the assets and arrest heads of Western companies that decided to stop operating in Russia. The Journal labeled its report “exclusive” and did not name sources, citing “people familiar with the matter.”
Major international businesses including Coca-Cola and McDonald’s have announced plans to suspend business in Russia in light of the invasion of Ukraine and international sanctions.
Zelensky to address full US Congress
Ukraine’s President Zelensky will deliver a virtual address to Congress on Wednesday, Democratic leadership in the US Congress said Monday.
